roosters mass

According to that old chestnut of a Christmas song,
everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe help to make the season bright.
That is, everybody except those of us celebrating in the Philippines, where mistletoe
is a mystery and the fowl most likely to grace a holiday table is a pork-stuffed
chicken.

Here, snowflakes are made of paper, brightly colored lights
adorn palm, not pine, trees and Jack Frost is probably nibbling on mangoes instead
of nipping at noses. Nevertheless, some of the trappings and customs of Yuletide,
such as colorful light displays and the exchange of gifts and greeting cards,
have been adopted in many parts of Asia. But nowhere else is it celebrated with
such a fascinating combination of religious adherence, secular exuberance and
multicultural touches as it is in the Philippines.